Photo of the Day: Thunder Run at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom

Just shouting distance from both Churchill Downs and sitting between the flight path to Louisville Int’l Airport, (Then) Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom had a tough life. The park was poorly designed, owing to it’s confusing layout and bisected sections. While it WAS part of the Six Flags chain, it stood on state fair land – and had to relinquish control (and profits) of all it’s rides and attractions for two weeks, while the state fair was occurring.

When I visited in 2008, the back half the park was closed due to financial reasons. The park closed that next year.

Closed for several years now, Kentucky Kingdom park is looking to make a comeback in the next few months by re-launching without a major brand behind it. (I.E. it is no longer part of the Six Flags brand).

Ed Hart, the former park president who famously posed for this photo,will once again head operations.

Thunder Run was a highlight of the park, even in the “lean” years before it closed.

As always, a big thanks to my friends at BorrowLenses for allowing me to capture such beautiful photos with their gear.